Niagara star, McQuaid alum Greg Cullen drafted by Atlanta Braves

By BILLY HEYEN

Penfield-native Greg Cullen was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 15th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Cullen starred at McQuaid during high school and has spent the last three years playing for Niagara University. This is the fifth straight year that a former Section V baseball player was drafted.

As a junior at Niagara, Cullen led the nation in batting average, finishing the season with a .458 mark. That included 17 doubles, three triples and four home runs. He also stole 13 bases. All of that added up to a second-team All America spot for Cullen.

At McQuaid, Cullen was named All-State First Team following his senior year. He and the Knights also took home the sectional crown that season.

The lefty-swinging infielder has the option of returning to Niagara for his senior season or signing a professional contract and being assigned somewhere in the minor leagues. The most likely destinations for newly drafted players are rookie ball or short-season Class A. In the Braves organization, the rookie team plays in Gulf Coast league while the short-season A team plays in Appalachian League.

In the 2017 MLB Draft, two players who had attended high school in the Rochester area were selected. Ernie Clement, who graduated from Brighton before heading to Virginia, was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the fourth round. Logan Harasta went to Webster Thomas before being drafted in the seventh round out of Buffalo by the San Francisco Giants.

Cullen joins Canandaigua’s Adam Scott who was taken in yesterday’s fourth round by the Cleveland Indians.

Cullen also joins Clement, Will Gorman, Harasta and Conner Simonetti as former Rochester Collegiate Baseball League products to be taken in the MLB draft.

Section V players chosen in MLB Draft since 2006

2018

Player –School – Position — Round — Team

Adam Scott — Canandaigua — P — 4th — Indians

Greg Cullen — McQuaid — INF — 15th — Braves

Victor Cavalieri — Northstar — P — 36th — Braves

2017

Ernie Clement – Brighton – INF — 4^th – Indians

Logan Harasta – Webster Thomas –P —  7^th – Giants

2016

Conner Simonetti  — Fairport – OF — 13^th – Nationals

2015

Matt Portland –Victor – P — 17^th – Royals

Danny Mendick – Pittsford Mendon – INF – 22^nd – White Sox

Steven Klimek – Greece Arcadia – P – 33^rd – Baltimore

2014

Jordan Schwartz – Hornell – P – 4^th – A’s

2012

Grant Heyman – Pittsford Sutherland – OF – 11^th – Blue Jays

Trey Pascazi – East Rochester – INF – 23^rd – Blue Jays

2011

Brian Dupra – Greece Athena – P – 7^th — Nationals

Jon Schwind – Hilton – C – 41^st — Pirates

Andre Kinder – Albion – P – 42^nd — Phillies

Chris Bostick – Aquinas – INF – 44^th – A’s

2010

Cito Culver – Irondequoit – INF – 1^st – Yankees

Brian Dupra – Greece Athena – P – 11^th – Tigers

Yimy Rodriguez – Greece Arcadia – P – 27^th – Dodgers

2009

Dusty Odenbach – McQuaid – P – 8^th – Royals

Matthew Tone – Irondequoit – P – 14^th – Twins

Christian Segar — McQuaid — OF — 49th — Cubs

2007

Andy Parrino – Brockport – INF – 26^th – Padres

Brian Dupra – Greece Athena  — P – 36^th — Rangers